Miss Witch, it's time to clean up the entries

Chapter 232: For Sophie (with pictures)
royal palace.

The emperor's study.

The heavy mahogany door slowly opened, and a heavy chill came over him.

The Holy Empire, located in the north of the Southern Continent, had already entered deep autumn in September, and the temperature had reached several degrees.

In the study, a blazing stove resists the severe cold outside, and the warm yellow light complements the thousands of books on the bookshelves.

Books decorated with gold edges lay there quietly, and the years had carved traces of vicissitudes on their covers. Augustus, like all the emperors of the Holy Empire, liked to study history books.

Above the fireplace hangs a portrait of the coronation of Augustus.

In a corner of the study, an intricately carved mahogany desk occupied the main position. On the desk were scattered some quill pens and ink bottles, and a bunch of goose feather pens were stained with ink.

Outside the window, autumn leaves covered the entire royal city. Occasionally, a squirrel jumped on the branches, stirring the silent air.

Maps hung on the walls, illuminated by candlelight, marked with thin gold lines the boundaries of the empire and its neighboring countries. The air was filled with the scent of leather, paper, ink, and a faint hint of perfume.

Auglas paced through the study, his eyes sliding across the rows of bookshelves, his fingers lightly brushing over the silent scrolls. He found a scroll about the legend of the ancient true dragon and handed it to Grand Duke Moria.

After reading the scroll, Grand Duke Moria silently handed it to Li En.

Li En's eyes fell on the description of the evil dragon Ulysses on the scroll. He was somewhat similar to his daughter Alexander, perhaps they belonged to the same race.

Ulysses is described as a fire dragon that can swallow and spit out magma and scorching flames. Its body is covered with black scales that cannot be penetrated even by the sharpest blades and the most powerful artillery, and it is immune to physical damage.

A full-strength attack can kill a Seven-Star Order Knight. No one can defeat Ulysses unless they are legendary knights.

Ulysses also knows how to mobilize the witch's magical fluctuations, causing the witch to lose control when fighting him.

Ulysses's flying speed is very fast, it can travel a thousand miles a day, surpassing the fastest airship.

When Ulysses is young, his body length is 10 to 30 meters, which is the size of a tall building. When he grows up, his body is equivalent to a city-state. He is a giant dragon.

It is bloodthirsty, violent, hates humans, and even devours its own kind. It likes to eat medium-sized dragons.

Even among the dragon clan, he is notorious.

"The dragon Dorothy brought back is most likely a descendant of the extinct Ulysses, or perhaps a hybrid. In any case, it is the only dragon in the Holy Empire."

A glint of excitement flashed in Auglas' eyes.

Dorothy always brings him surprises, but along with them come problems.

First of all, as Dorothy's childhood sweetheart, that is, her friend, he cannot force Dorothy to do anything against her will.

Secondly, as a legendary witch with powerful strength, Dorothy did not seem to want to offer the black dragon to the empire, but instead raised it as a pet, which made Auglas feel that it was a waste of talent.

Finally, since Dorothy returned to the capital, she has never come to the palace to see him once, as if she was deliberately distancing herself from him.

Augustus even worried that his affair with his cousin had been discovered.

But he thought about it carefully and felt that it was unlikely.

First, everyone in the palace was very tight-lipped and knew what to say and what not to say.

Secondly, Dorothy had been at sea all this time and it was impossible for her to know what was happening in the palace.

Augulas wanted Dorothy to give up the dragon, but he couldn't discuss it with Earl Hall, so he found Grand Duke Moria and Li En.

He believed that Grand Duke Moria, like him, could see the value of the Black Dragon.

If this dragon helps them to fight, then there is a chance of winning the war.

By then, Auglas will not abide by the contract and will just borrow the whip of the Azure Dragon. It will be the routine operation of the Holy Empire to flatten the Azure Dragon Royal Court and take away all the treasures. It is not the first time that the Holy Empire has torn up the covenant. The Holy Empire has always adhered to the principle of interests first and the interests of its own country are above everything else. Those who are not of our race must be killed. It can stand on the moral high ground to tear up the covenant and appease the public in the name of God's blessing. Not to mention alien races, as human beings, few countries on the southern continent can escape the iron hoof of the empire.

What Augustus did was to inherit the glory of his ancestors and carry it forward.

"This is indeed something to be happy about."

Grand Duke Moria said calmly that as the Prime Minister of the Empire, he naturally knew what Auglas was thinking.

If the emperor did not have such a powerful and deterrent weapon in his own hands, it would be a dereliction of duty, and he would be restless and unable to sleep at night.

Even though Dorothy and Augustus have been friends for many years, they did not sleep on the same bed after all. After all, they had two heads and two ways of thinking.

Augulas wanted to take the black dragon away, but he couldn't speak up because Dorothy was a legendary witch and because of the friendship between the Frank family and the Hall family.

He wanted to discuss the matter with the Prime Minister and the new nobles of the Empire because he felt that they owed him a debt of gratitude for the expedition and should pay more attention to it.

Auguras nodded slightly. "Yes, this is the blessing of the God of Tiger. The Black Dragon is here to help us, but Dorothy doesn't know this."

"I think Your Majesty should discuss this matter with Hall. After all, she is his daughter."

Grand Duke Moria said.

He didn't want to get involved in this matter, after all, Alexander was his...great-grandson.

But this is a secret that cannot be made public for the time being.

Li En wants to marry Dorothy, unless Augustus has a queen first, or the Moria family has the strength to compete with the Frank family for the rule of the empire.

Otherwise, the marriage between the two creed families, the Moria family and the Hall family, would violate the laws of the empire.

Not to mention the two of them getting married, once the engagement news is released, the other five creed families will unite to attack them.

A complete and full-scale civil war will also break out in the empire.

Grand Duke Moria did not want to see the empire fall apart.

Moreover, the Hall family has sworn eternal allegiance to the Frank family. This contract is a contract at the soul level. Unless Hall reaches the level of a legendary knight or a half-step legendary eight-star glory knight, he cannot violate this contract.

If Li En really wants to be with Dorothy, the road ahead will be not only bumpy but also long.

Unless, he doesn't want to be a member of the Moria family and marry into the Hall family.

Grand Duke Moria would never allow this.

Even if they were forced to separate, it would be impossible for Li En to leave the family.

"I know, but Earl Hall is preparing for the next expedition. He needs to personally oversee the fleet and supplies. He is very busy at this time. As the wisest person in the empire, Prime Minister, please give me some reasonable advice."

Auguras looked at Grand Duke Moria.

Grand Duke Moria said modestly, "Your Majesty, I am not the smartest person in the empire. The wise men of the empire are the wisest. Perhaps you should ask for their opinions."

"They suggested I marry Dorothy."

Auglas said.

The suspicious young emperor's eyes fell on Li En, "Simon, what do you think?"

Li En was slightly surprised and pretended to be confused and said,

"From what I understand, Miss Dorothy Hall seems to be a witch. Aren't witches forbidden from marrying under imperial law?"

Augulas raised his eyebrows slightly, thinking that Li En had made a mistake that only a country boy would make.

But considering that he had always stayed in places like Green Shade Territory, this was really the only experience he could have.

So he explained,
"Dorothy is different from other witches. She is a noble aristocrat. The Empire cannot confiscate a noble's right to marry. Besides, she is unlikely to guard the tower. She will not abuse her magic and will not be on the verge of losing control."

The fact that she doesn't abuse her magic and doesn't let it get out of control proves that Augustus obviously doesn't understand the real Dorothy.

In the process of studying magic, she likes to challenge her limits.

But Dorothy is indeed much more stable than the artificial witch.

"So that's how it is. This is the first time I've heard of such a view."

Li En said this deliberately, "In Green Shade Territory, and many places in the south, most people believe that witches cannot marry is a sacred and inviolable imperial law. They believe that witches are holy guardians chosen by the God of Tiger. They don't know the specialness of Miss Dorothy, the Imperial Rose, because the reputation of witches has surpassed the title of nobility. If you do this, most country bumpkins like me might think you are a heretic. Pope Randall might even attack you for it."

Augustus's brow furrowed again, "Simon, are you saying that I can't marry Dorothy?"

"No, I mean that if you really want to marry Miss Dorothy Hall, you should at least make some sacrifices and prepare some groundwork. Otherwise, most ignorant citizens like me won't understand you."

"What foreshadowing?"

Auglas asked.

"Abolish the law that prohibits witches from marrying. Allow witches to fall in love freely."

Li En said seriously, "Let the people of the empire know that witches, besides being guardians, also enjoy the same freedom of love and marriage as the residents of the Holy Empire. Only then can you legitimately pursue Miss Dorothy Hall. She is a legendary witch and the representative of witches. You can't remove her from the witch community because the ignorant people can't understand. In their eyes, a witch is a witch, and there is no distinction between nobles and commoners."

"Allow all witches to get married?"

Augulas was slightly surprised. He held his chin with one hand and thought seriously about what Li En said.

The Guardian Witches are actually artificial witches, certainly not comparable to Dorothy. However, this secret is kept secret and will never be made public. The public might really think the same as Li En: Dorothy is a witch, and the Guardian Witches are also witches, so why are they treated differently? Is it just because Dorothy is a member of the Creed family? However, every Guardian Witch holds a high social status.

The reason for formulating this law was because of the instability of artificial witches. Sooner or later they would get out of control, and many would even die before reaching adulthood. Therefore, there was no need or necessity for them to get married. If they were busy falling in love, it might shake their inner protective beliefs, and they would not be able to die peacefully because of their concerns.

But in fact, as long as the wise man still holds the gift, the witches will never forget their duty of protection, because they have been baptized since childhood.

In a sense, this law is indeed unnecessary.

Why should we restrict ourselves by this?

Li En secretly breathed a sigh of relief when he found that Augulas was carefully considering the feasibility of this proposal.

For Sophie's sake, this was a necessary step, and it was just right to tell it through the story of Dorothy.

I'm sorry, Dorothy, for taking advantage of you again. I'll make it up to you later.

Li En thought so in his heart.

Li En was actually very grateful that Dorothy had held back during the fight with Sophie and not killed her directly. Although Sophie was now very strong, she still couldn't defeat the witch's ceiling. If Dorothy hadn't relaxed at the last moment and given up on giving Sophie a fatal blow, Sophie would not have been able to kill Dorothy.

And if it was Sophie who died instead of Dorothy, she would not be able to resurrect Sophie.

Augulas wants to marry Dorothy? Sorry, let's not talk about Dorothy's wishes first. Li En is not willing to push such a good-natured girl into the fire pit.

Moreover, Augustus now wanted to marry Dorothy because of Alexander, which was even worse.

You want to marry my wife and force my children to go to war? What a joke.

Li En sneered in his heart, but his expression was calm and his emotions were controlled just right.

"Yes, let all witches get married."

"You are doing this for your own selfish reasons, right?"

Augulas heard that Li En had been with the witch Sophie from the Green Shade Territory recently. The two of them went out together and even introduced Sophie to the Moria family and lived in Alexburg.

Regarding this, Augulas could only say that the men of the Moria family were indeed romantic by nature, and they would not even let go of the guardian witch.

"Yes, it's for selfish reasons."

Li En said without hesitation, "I promised a witch lady that I would let her experience everything a normal woman should have, including the freedom of love and marriage."

Hearing Li En do this, Augulas was once again certain that Li En said this because of Sophie. This made him feel that he had seen through Li En and had a sense of accomplishment. It also dispelled his concerns about Li En's close relationship with Dorothy, and he thought that Zenobia was just overthinking it. How could his empire's new noble be involved with a legendary witch?

Dorothy went to the sea not because of Li En, but because of Earl Hall and herself.

Augustus regained his confidence and believed that Dorothy would definitely become his queen.

As for Zenobia, she seemed to still be thinking about Li En, the most handsome man in the empire.

Since that’s the case, I’ll just put in some effort and let her get what she wants. After all, she makes me feel very comfortable when she licks me.

"It's not so easy to change a law, especially one that has been in place for over 500 years. Even if I were the Emperor of the Empire, I couldn't easily change a law recognized by the Holy See."

Auguras looked at Li En.

"For His Majesty's sake, I will represent you and present a special decree to the Supreme Court. I will also persuade the noble scholars who make the laws and gain their approval."

Li En said with a sense of mission, "But please allow me to make some preparations first. It may take about a month."

"Do you want me to arrange for a paperwork worker to help you?"

Auglas asked.

"No, I will ask High Priestess Fia for advice. She has sufficient experience in this area."

Li En said.

Auguras nodded slightly. "Speaking of High Priest Fia, she seems to have had a rift with the Vatican and is rumored to be withdrawing. Why don't you take this opportunity to convince her to join the Imperial Law Department?"

Augulas admired High Priest Fia very much. She was the second woman who came into his sight besides Dorothy.

As for the third one, Zenobia, it is a pure exchange of desire.

Li En knew that Auglas wanted to poach Randall and wanted Fia to work for him.

"Arch Priest Fia is a very opinionated person, but for His Majesty, I am willing to give it a try and convince Archpriest Fia to become a secular law enforcer."

"Ah."

Augulas was quite satisfied with Li En's behavior. He liked people who were selfish but could be used by him.

A saint who is truly selfless is actually difficult to control.

Grand Duke Moria watched his grandson's performance silently and felt that his acting skills were better than his own.

The old fox felt quite relieved. Perhaps he was really old and should give the stage to the young people.

It is also possible that Augustus is too young. If it were an old emperor, he might have already smelled something.

The reason why Li En wanted to fight for a month was not to really look for information. He wanted to go to the Blue Dragon Court first and find Catherine.

These kinds of things need to be done one by one, not all in one pile.

It's like if you call Catherine, Dorothy, Anna, Nancy, and Fia into your bedroom at the same time, even a six-star blood knight can't stand it.

Especially Nancy, Anna and Dorothy now, the three of them can squeeze themselves dry.

Having too many close friends is definitely not a good thing. A man should be loyal.

Thinking of this, Li En couldn't help but begin to envy Earl Hall.

How did he stay consistent?

Augulas chatted with the grandfather and grandson for a while before saying to Grand Duke Moria,

"Dinner time is almost here. Prime Minister, please go back as soon as possible and don't keep your family waiting. As for Simon, please stay and have dinner with me."

Grand Duke Moria knew that the emperor wanted to reuse Li En, so he did not refuse and left.

"Okay, Your Majesty."

Li En had no way of declining the emperor's invitation.

The candlelight flickered, the silverware sparkled in the magnificent hall, and the wine in the glass cup glowed with amber light.

On the table, delicacies were beautifully presented: roast suckling pig with crispy skin and an alluring aroma; scallops drizzled with herb butter, steamed to perfection, their flesh tender and juicy. Desserts made with rare pearl powder and fine wines made from carefully selected grapes all reflected the prosperity and wealth of the empire.

The waiters, dressed in uniform silk robes, moved lightly through the halls, delivering dishes to the tables. They wore perfectly composed smiles on their faces, but their eyes concealed a subtle awe and worry.

Outside the hall, bells rang in the distance, each one seeming to sing praises for this luxurious dinner.

In addition to Li En, sitting with Augustus was 18-year-old Zenobia. She was dressed particularly sexy today. Her bold and avant-garde dress was embellished with gems, shining like stars. She looked like she had just taken a bath, with water stains on her hair. Coupled with her charming and attractive peach blossom eyes, the servants couldn't help but blush and their hearts beat fast when they saw her.

Auglas introduced with a smile,

"Zenobia, Simon, you have seen it."

"your Highness."

Li En nodded slightly, his eyes falling on Zenobia, and he felt that her clothes would look even better on Anna.

Anna's performance last night was unforgettable. I wonder where she is now. I'll write her a letter when I get back to express my longing for her.

At this moment, the whole hall was filled with the aroma of food and the sound of candles burning gently.

Augustus waved his hand slightly, and the waiters immediately retreated, leaving only the musicians still playing.

Soothing and lazy music came from the hall, adding interest to this private dinner.

"Good evening, Viscount."

Zenobia said this with a smile, lifted her skirt, bent down, and saluted Li En slightly, revealing the snow-white scenery.

Logically, as a princess, Zenobia did not need to show such courtesy to Li Enxing.

But she certainly had her reasons for doing so.

She extended her hand to Li En.

Li En lightly poked the back of her hand, which was a basic hand-kissing gesture.

Zenobia's cheeks flushed slightly as she withdrew her hand and returned to her seat.

Although he saw through Augustus' intention, Li En didn't want to have anything to do with the women of the Frank family.

I planned to eat something casually and then leave perfunctorily.

In short, he has no sense of taste now and has no interest in any food.

In order to arouse the interest of the two, Zenobia specially found a girl from the most famous Red Theater in Yalong City.

The girls, dressed in gorgeous satin long dresses, danced as light as swallows on the ancient wooden floor.

Her skirt fluttered gently as she spun, like gorgeous petals floating in the night breeze.

A string of silver bell-like laughter fell with her dance steps, like crystal dewdrops, sparkling in the silent air.

Her arms are as soft as boneless, stretching gracefully or waving rapidly to the beat of the music, interweaving charm and feminine beauty.

The girl's eyes seemed to be able to speak, full of affection, yet just right.

Zenobia seemed to notice Li En's lack of interest and suspected that they were not dancing well enough, so she slowly stood up, took off her gorgeous shoes, and joined them barefoot.

Her steps were brisk and precise, and every step seemed to be on the beat of a drum. She was filled with irrepressible passion and a hint of unknown secret.

I have to say that Zenobia dances more beautifully than professional girls, enough to make any man obsessed with her graceful dance.

When she spins, the layers of her skirt are like blooming flowers, and she is the most dazzling gem among the flowers.

Zenobia's face looks even more mysterious and charming against the candlelight, like a painting painted with dance, making people want to stay in this moment forever and enjoy the beauty and passion of this passionate princess.

Even Augulas felt that Zenobia was very attentive to Li En.

But Li En still maintained his gentlemanly manners and focused only on the delicious food on the table.

　The uploaded illustration did not comply with the regulations and was rejected several times, so I could only choose a relatively conservative one. In fact, as you can imagine, it is a very non-conservative picture with a strong visual impact.

　　PS: Merry Christmas Eve to everyone. Sophie gave everyone apples!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)